Sandblast mask. I haven't tried the commercial self healing mats yet, but someone mentioned here, using sandblast mask for covering your weeding table. I tried it about four months ago and it is nice. I had some mask for glass that I wasn't using (thinner, less aggresive) and it really saves on blades. I think the harder blue stuff would be even more durable. Another shop in town is using 3mm pvc and changes it every week or two. What are you using?
Posted by Mark Fair Signs (Member # 289) on :
i vote for any substrate.
i don't use an exacto knife to strip up copy.
i use artist's scissors,(what i call paste up scissors, they can be bought at most art stores) they have a long cutting stroke, if they are sharp then once you have the cut going you can "push" slice the backing as well as the layer of application tape.
no scaring of the weed table.
once you are used to this method of cutting vinyl legends, it is hard to go back to cutting with the knife.
Posted by Donna in BC (Member # 130) on :
Glass tops here. Love how clean and smooth they are and they don't mark up.
Posted by captain ken (Member # 742) on :
Lexan I pulled out of a sign cabinet 2 years old and still good, I dont think the glass top would be very good for hammers and powertools being dropped on them
Posted by Rick Sacks (Member # 379) on :
My green monster mat (OLFA type) is still like new after eight years.
Posted by Steve Purcell (Member # 1140) on :
I use 3/16 polyethelene. Cost me about $25.00 a 4x8. Lasts for years.
Posted by TransLab (Member # 470) on :
Commercial self healing mat.
Put one down about 3 years ago, I figure it will last another 5 or so. I love having grid & rulers embedded in the mat, saves a lot of time. Well worth the price..
Posted by Dave Grundy (Member # 103) on :
Commercial self healing mat....10 year lifespan from what I can see.
Posted by Mike Pipes (Member # 1573) on :
I vote for the glass tops too..
I built a table framed outta 2x6 with 2x4 legs and an open top, then just laid a piece of glass right on the top of it.. I got the glass from a St. Vincent charity store, it was a shower door in a past life.
I use the table for everything from taping and weeding, to drawing, tracing and aligning jobs that need to be registered. I put a 4' shop lite under the glass top and the bumpy side of the glass helps diffuse the light so registering is easy as pie.
Posted by Monte Jumper (Member # 1106) on :
Sintra 3 mil(white)...it's inexpensive and lasts forever.
Posted by Todd Gill (Member # 2569) on :
Howdy!
Do a search on "work table coverings". I posted this same topic on January 5, 2002 and there are a "gazillion" responses that might help you out.
Seems like a lot of people used glass. I use the "self-healing" mat, and it is nice....but I don't believe it is as "self-healing" as they advertise. You can certainly feel the cutmarks in it after trimming things....and it can display heavy cutmarks if you're really bearing down...and cutting a lot of stuff.
I'm thinking for heavy use...people prefer glass along with a few other substrates... Good luck and have a good one. Posted by Jonathan Androsky (Member # 2806) on :
We use Sintra (PVC)for ours, which works pretty good but I like cutting mats better. A few years back we got a boatload (like 5 pallets) of the Sintra for practically nothing because it got discolored somehow.
I don't like glass, I think it's a little slippery and scary dangerous if you are in a hurry. I also think that it eats blades quicker.
My $.02.
Posted by George Perkins (Member # 156) on :
I've had the self healing mats, they got cut up pretty badly. I tried Mike's idea of the glass shower door. Made a little box frame and mounted it on top of an old dresser. Put a fluroescent light under it, the light is really handy when weeding, the drawers give extra storage space, a strip of plastic rain gutter mounted to the fron holds all the knifes, sqeeges, big yellow riler, etc. came out at a comfortable height too and best of all it was cheap
The glass DOES eat up blades quicker, but I do like Mark and use scissors for most of my trimming.
Posted by Mark Fair Signs (Member # 289) on :
Art Scissors...
Posted by Todd Gill (Member # 2569) on :
Dang Mark,
Those look like hedge trimmers! I'll have to get me a pair of those and keep them in my car for when I drive through Detroit! Posted by Stephen Broughton (Member # 2237) on :
I use them to Mark, now you've posted a pic i know what you mean, here they are called wallpaper scissors as they are mostly used by decorators for yes youv'e guessed it "cutting wallpaper". Here you can get them from any DIY store.
Posted by Pat de la Sablonniere (Member # 2957) on :
Seeing as how most substrates we use are score and snap. I went for the cheap arborite. I separate decals on it and as long as you are somewhat careful, it seems to be lasting.
I was going to try the glass tops but the tables we use are 4 x 8 and that would get a little costly.
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